Staffing Shortage Leaves 200-Bed Gazipur Prison Hospital Idle Two Decades After Construction
Photo Collected
A 200-bed hospital facility at Kashimpur Central Jail-2 in Gazipur has remained largely non-functional for two decades due to a critical shortage of medical personnel. Despite the facility being constructed between 2003 and 2005, the absence of permanent staffing has forced authorities to transport critically ill inmates to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital, located approximately 10 kilometers away.
The hospital was equipped with medical gear worth over 87.4 million taka, yet much of this machinery, including X-ray and ultrasound equipment, has remained packed in crates for years. Kashimpur Jail-2 Superintendent Halima Khatun confirmed that the prolonged disuse of these devices has raised concerns regarding their operational viability.
Currently, the jail complex—comprising the High Security Central Jail, Jail-1, Jail-2, and the Central Women’s Jail—houses approximately 11,600 inmates. Medical records indicate a high prevalence of tuberculosis, typhoid, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease among the prisoner population. The one-hour transit time required to reach the medical college hospital poses significant health risks to inmates suffering from cardiac emergencies.
To mitigate staffing gaps, Gazipur Civil Surgeon Mamunur Rahman stated that four medical officers have been deputed from various sub-districts to provide outpatient services on a rotating basis. Additionally, High Security Jail Superintendent Abdullah Al Mamun noted that the prison authority has trained select guards with science backgrounds in nursing and pharmacy to assist with basic clinical duties. However, these measures have failed to resolve the vacancy crisis for specialists, including consultants, resident doctors, and pathologists.
The challenge is further compounded at the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital, which lacks a dedicated prison ward for incarcerated patients. Director Aminul Islam acknowledged that the facility receives between 30 and 35 inmates monthly, mostly cardiac patients, and confirmed that discussions are underway with district authorities to establish a secure, dedicated ward for prisoners.
Human rights advocates have criticized the current state of affairs as a failure of state responsibility. Aminul Islam, general secretary of the Gazipur metropolitan branch of the Bangladesh Human Rights Commission, stated that the failure to utilize a 200-bed facility constitutes both an unnecessary waste of public funds and a violation of the inmates’ fundamental right to healthcare.
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